Clothes dryer



May 30, 1961 E. F. PATAILLOT ETAL 2,985,957

CLOTHES DRYER Filed Nov. 1, 1957 s Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTORS EVE/PET? E Pam/L407 Elan/00A Lew/var. Ron/1.1.47

y 1961 E. F. PATAILLOT ET AL 2,985,967

CLOTHES'DRYER Filed Nov. 1, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS' Eve/P517 l-T PA vat/1.1.07 [LONUA'A LEI/IVER lATA/LLGT HTTGRNEYS May 30, 1961 E. F. PATAILLOT ET AL 2,985,967

' CLOTHES DRYER Filed Nov. 1, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR5 EVE/7577' F. PATA/LLOT 'fLONORA Lea/v51? Para/1.40

United States Patent C 9 CLOTHES DRYER Everett F. Pataillot and Elonora Lehner Patalllot, both of 1044 Genesee St., Buffalo, N.Y.

Filed Nov. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 693,997

1 Claim. (Cl. 34133) This invention relates to a clothes dryer and more particularly to a clothes dryer in which the clothes to be dried are tumbled about in a rotating drum and at the same time are subjected to a stream of heated air.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a clothes dryer having a rotating drum which is subjected to a stream of drying air which is brought into intimate contact with the clothes being tumbled about in the drying drum.

Another object is to provide a dryer having a drum formed with foraminous walls into which the drying air is discharged in a number of-streams through the greater part of the drum.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive stationary casing for the dryer having top and side walls and internal parallel partitions which divide the casing into a main central compartment housing the drum and drying air supply, and two narrower side compartments one of which houses the transmission mechanism for rotating the drum, and the other of which is used to exhaust the moist air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes drying machine in which the two partitions are used both to journal the drum and to provide a part of the duct work for bringing drying air to the drum and exhausting moist air from the drum.

Another object is to provide a simple and effective heater for heating the air introduced into the drum.

A further object is to provide an air filter for screening the air entering the drying compartment.

Another object is to provide a simple and effective lint remover in the path of the moist air leaving the drying drum.

Another object is to provide a simple and effective means for abstracting moisture from the air leaving the drying drum.

Moreover, our device is provided with a top opening whereby the introduction of the clothes into the dryer or the removal thereof from the dryer may be conveniently accomplished. 1

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes dryer embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse central sectional view taken generally on line lI-II of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section taken. generally on line III'lIiI of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken generally on line lVIV of Fig. 2; t

Fig. 5 is a front sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is anend sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged'view through the closure for a part of the. periphery of the revolving fo- Patented May 30, 1961 raminous drum in which the clothes to be dried are placed.

The clothes dryer is shown as contained in a rectangular casing 6 having sidewalls 8, 9, 10 and 11 connected by a top wall 12, the bottom of the casing is left open and it is supported by castors 7 so that air can enter and leave through the open bottom of the casing. The interior of the casing is divided vertically by two partitions 16 and 18 which are spaced from the adjacent casing side walls 8 and 10, respectively, thereby forming end compartments 13 and 15 and a central compartment 1-4.

The narrow end compartment 13 houses the pulleys and belts forming part of the drive for the rotating drum; and the narrow end compartment 15 houses the lint trap for removing lint from the air stream discharged from the dryer, as well as a condenser for abstracting vapor from the air stream being discharged from the dryer. The wide central compartment 14 houses the centrifugal fan, the revolving clothes drying drum and the casing for directing the drying air against the foraminous drum, as Well as the air heater.

The clothes are introduced and removed from the dryer through an access opening 20 formed in the top wall 12 of the dryer. This opening is normally closed by a cover 21 hinged at 23 and provided with a raised portion 27 for convenient lifting thereof. The cover is preferably supported by a depressed flange 22 formed on the top 12 around the opening 20. Thedepressed flange 22 forms the upper extremity of a rectangular neck 24 which extends downwardly and has its lower edge of circular form to conform to the periphery of the drying drum 25.

This drum 25 has circular foraminous end walls 26 and 28, the margins of which are connected by a tubular or cylindrical foraminous peripheral wall 29. The circular end walls 26, 28 of the revolving drum are arranged in closely spaced relation to the partitions 18 and 16, respectively, and stub shafts 30 and 31 are provided each journalled, respectively, in bearings 32 and 33 carried by the partitions 18 and 16, respectively. These bearings are preferably adjustably attached to the partitions 18 and 16 so as to permit adjustment of the engaged belts. Ribs 34 are provided at intervals around the internal periphery of the drying drum 25 each of which is preferably in the form of angle irons of foraminous material having their flanges arranged against the cylindrical Wall 29 of the drying drum and their ends eX- tending to the circular end walls 26 and 28 thereof, whereby ridges of angular form are provided which have their apexes projecting radially toward the center of the drum.

To permit access to the interior of the drum 25, a closure illustrated in detail in Fig. 7 is provided. As here shown, the tubular peripheral wall 29 of the drum is provided with a rectangular access opening 35 which conforms in size and shape to the size and shape of the inlet neck 24 so that when-this opening is brought into register with this. inlet neck 24, the clothes to be dried can be introduced into the drum 25 and removed therefrom. A cover 36 is provided for the opening 35 being in the form of an arcuate foraminous piece of metal which is provided with a suitable metal rim or frame 37 hinged along one of its straight edges, as indicated a't'38, to a channel bar 39 secured to a corresponding 7 straight edge of the rectangular opening 35. The opposite extremity of this cover 36 is adapted to rest upon a stop 40 in'the form of a strip of metal which is of h-shaped form in transverse section, the channel of which is fitted around and secured to the corresponding straight edge of the opening 35. A latch mechanism, indicated 3 at 42, is provided to latch the free end of the cover 36 to the corresponding stop 40.

The stub shaft 31 is the drive shaft for the drum 25 and extends through the partition 16 into the chamber 13 which houses the pulleys and drive belts for the drum. One large pulley 45 is attached to the drive shaft 31 and is connected by a belt 46 to a small pulley 48 rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 50 carried by the partition 16. A large pulley 49 is also rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 50 and is fixed to the pulley 48. The pulley 49 is connected by a belt 51 to a small pulley 52 on the drive shaft 53 of an electric motor 54, which is arranged within the central compartment 14 of the casing. The drive shaft 53 extends through the partition 16, and a slot 55 is provided in the partition 16 for permitting adjustment of the motor.

The numeral 58 represents the inner curved wall of an air passage 59 arranged at each side of the drying drum 25 and in closely spaced and conforming relation to the outer periphery thereof. The numeral 58 represents the inner wall of an air passage 59 the upper portion of said wall being arranged at each side of said drum 25 and in closely spaced and conforming relation to the outer periphery thereof. Each of said walls are reversely curved and extend downwardly where they are joined together. Each of these circular walls is surrounded by an outer wall 60 in spaced relation therewith thus confining the heated air to the spaces 59. Each inner wall 58 is provided with spaced openings 75 and 76 through which heated air may flow in its passage to the drum. The central portion of each of the walls 59 and 60 is connected at its upper end to the neck 24, and the vertical edges thereof are secured to the vertical partitions 16 and 18 of the casing. The lower ends of the inner curved walls are joined together in a downwardly projecting V-shaped nose 57 for dividing the heated air and directing it upwardly into the circular spaces 59 and to the drum through the spaces 75 and 76 formed in the inner circular wall. The passage of air through the passages 59 is retarded somewhat by the neck 24 and the air is, therefore, deflected downwardly and inwardly through the air openings 76 in the inner wall 58 and caused to impinge upon and pass through the foraminous wall of the drum.

Below the drum 25 the opposite vertical edges of the inner and outer walls 58 and 60 converge downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and these edges are connected by side plates 61 to provide a common inlet throat 62 for the passages 59. In this throat is arranged an electrical resistance heating element 63, which is suitably supported by the lower end of one of the plates 60. A removable plate 64 closes an inspection opening 64' in one side of the wall 60 whereby the electric heating element may be inspected. The heating element is attached to connec tions 66 to which a suitable source of electric current may be connected. An access opening 68 may be formed in the opposite wall 60, being closed by a plate 68.

The lower end of the throat 62 is connected to an elbow 69. the inlet end of which extends horizontally and which has an upstanding inlet duct 90 connected thereto. A centrifugal fan 71 is disposed within the space 14 and is secured preferably to the inner face of the wall 16, an opening being formed therein in registration with the air intake 73 of the fan. The fan is driven by means of a belt 80 passing over the pulley 52 carried by the motor shaft 53 and over a pulley 81 carried by the shaft of the fan. The outlet connection 90 of the fan extends upwardly, and over the top thereof is arranged an air filter 91. This air filter preferably extends between and is supported by the end walls 16 and 18, and the inlet 92 thereof is connected to the outlet 90 of the fan. The filter comprises a housing 93 preferably of rectangular form and divided longitudinally from the inlet end 92 to the opposite end thereof by a screen partition 94 made of wire mesh of suitable size. The mesh is attached to the end wall 95 of the casing and to a solid partition 96 which extends upwardly to a point near the cover 101 of the casing. Supported by the screen 94 is a quantity of suitable filter material 100. The filter 91 is formed near a central portion in the bottom thereof with an air outlet 102 which is connected preferably by means of a flexible hose 103 to the upstanding iniet duct of the throat 62.

The inner walls 58 of the passages 59 are each provided with two pairs of openings 75, 76 through which hot air is supplied directly to the rotating drum 25, a part of this drying air also passing through the foraminous end walls 26 and 28 of the drum. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the openings 75 are positioned in a lower part of each of the inner walls 58 and are of rectangular form. These openings encompass a substantial part of the bottom periphery of the drum 25 at each side thereof. The upper openings 76 are of approximately the same size, and the upper edges thereof terminate adjacent the inlet neck 24. As will be seen from the arrows shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the air supplied by the blower is filtered by passage through the air filter 91 whence it is passed through the pipe 103 and elbow 69 into the throat 62. The air is then divided by the nose 57 formed at the bottom of the inner walls 58 and it is passed upwardly through the passages 59 and through the openings 75 and 76 and into the drum. In passing through the throat 6?. the air is heated by the electric resistance element 63. A part of this air also passes through the foraminous end wall 26 and 28 of the drum as shown in Fig. 2. By dividing the supply of heated air and circulating it through the air spaces 59 and through the openings 75 and 76 in the inner wall, the drum is supplied with a substantially uniform flow of air around its periphery.

The moist air escapes from the drum 25 and passes through an opening 78 formed in the upper extremity of the partition 18 opposite which is a closed compartment 104 in which a lint trap drawer 79 is arranged. This drawer is provided with an imperforate portion 105 and a lint trap portion 106. The imperforate portion is located opposite the opening 78 in the partition 18 and the wall thereof opposite the opening is formed with a registering aperture 110. The drawer is provided with a foraminous partition 111 dividing the imperforate portion from the lint trap portion, and the side walls 112 of the lint trap portion are also of foraminous material preferably of fine mesh woven screening. Closing the outer end of the lint trap portion of the drawer is an end wall 113 forming a flange for engagement with the face of the casing wall 11. The moist air escaping from the opening 78 passes through the lint trap drawer 79 and any lint contained in the air will be collected in the trap from which it can be conveniently removed by withdrawing the drawer 79 and emptying the lint therefrom.

The lint free air passes downwardly into a header 84 located in the compartment 15 whence it passes into and through a condenser 85 where the vapor in the air stream is condensed. The condenser is provided with an outlet header to which is attached a drain pipe 86 by which the condensation may be disposed of in any suitable manner. The back wall 11 of the casing is preferably open at its lower portion and a screen 114 is disposed over this opening.

When our device is to be placed in use, the cover 27 is raised and the drum 25 is rotated until its cover 36 is opposite the inlet throat 24. The damp clothes to be dried may now be introduced into the drum, after which the cover 36 is closed. The motor 54 is then started and current is connected to the heater 63. It is obvious that switches for the motor and heater as well as timing mechanisms may be employed in connection with our invention, but since these are standard articles of manufacture and their use is well known, they are neither shown or described in this application. The drum will be rotated through the driving mechanism shown and the-moist clothes will be tumbled around inside of the drum, the ribs 34 picking up the mass of moist clothes contained in the drum and lifting them to a position near the top of the drum from whence they fall again to the bottom thereof.

As the moist clothes are tumbled Within the drum, air is drawn from the room by means of the centrifugal fan 71 and is conducted through the filter 91 thence through the elbow 69 and into the throat 62 through the flexible connecting member 103. The air, in passing over the electric resistance element 63, is heated and it is passed upwardly into and through the hot air passages 59, the air being divided by the downwardly projecting V-shaped nose 57. The heated air is thus forced up through the passageways 59 and is substantially evenly distributed around the foraminous drum by passage through the openings 75 and 76 formed in spaced relation in the inner Walls 58. The damp clothes are, therefore, subjected to several streams of heated air as they are being tumbled about in the drum. A portion of the heated air is also conducted upwardly between the foraminous ends of the drum and the adjacent side walls 16 and 18, passing through said ends into the drum.

The air moistened by the clothes is conducted out of the drum through the outlet opening 78 in the wall 18 and into and through the lint trap. This air in passing through the screen mesh of the lint trap 79 has substantially all entrained lint removed therefrom, after passage through the trap 79, the air is passed through the header 84, and through the tubes of the condenser 85, whereby the vapor in the air is condensed and passes out of the condenser in the form of water through the tube 86 for disposal in any suitable manner. In passing through the lint trap and the condenser the flow of air is retarded sufficiently to assure its passage through the openings and passages of the casing and drum, and to perform its drying function.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that the present invention supplies a very simple, inexpensive and efiective clothes dryer for rapidly drying clothes while being tumbled about in a rotating drum.

What is claimed is:

A clothes dryer having a casing provided with a top access opening for the introduction and removal of clothing, a partition spaced from each of two opposite side walls of said casing, whereby a central compartment and two end compartments are provided, a horizontally arranged forarninous drum rotatably mounted within said central compartment, driving means for said drum mounted in one of said end compartments, an air housing disposed Within said casing comprising oppositely arranged inner walls and outer walls, said inner Walls embracing said drum in spaced relation therewith, said inner Walls being formed in their upper portions with openings arranged to direct streams of drying air from said air openings against opposite sides of and into said drum, said outer walls being in spaced relation to said inner Walls, said outer walls being imperforate having their lower portions extending downwardly forming a throat therebetween, the lower portions of said inner walls being connected together and being imperforate from the area adjacent the bottom of the drum to the point of juncture thereof, said inner and outer walls having their side edges secured to said partitions, heating means mounted in said throat, fan means for directing air into said casing through said throat and into said housing, whereby the heated air will be prevented from being directed against the bottom of said drum and will be conveyed upwardly around and into said drum in separate channels, and one of said partitions being formed with an outlet opening adjacent the upper portion of one of the end walls of said drum and in communication with one of said end compartments for conducting moist air from said drum to said end compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,513,932 Rhoads Nov. 4, 1924 1,751,841 Pickens Mar. 25, 1930 2,617,203 Murray Nov. 11, 1952 2,724,905 Zehrbach Nov. 29, 1955 2,776,826 Bennett et al. Ian. 8, 1957 2,814,130 Cayot Nov. 26, 1957 2,814,886 Fowler Dec. 3, 1957 2,903,799 Sachaczenski Sept. 15, 1959 

